Your Coach (in a Book).Your Coach (in a Book), by Robert Hargrove and Michel Renaud, Book, 2004, Jossey-Bass Inc., $24.95. I'm a strong believer in knowing where to go and whom to ask. That's why I have shelves full of books that I continually refer to. I was hoping I could add Your Coach (in a Book) to my collection of reliable resources. I chose to read and review the book first because one of the authors is Robert Hargrove, who wrote The Masterful Coaching Program, a book I have found to be very useful. I was also drawn to the book because its full title, Your Coach (in a Book): Mastering the Trickiest Leadership, Business, and Career Challenges You Will Ever Face, seemed to promise interesting reading. Marketing copy for the book doesn't shy away from Verb 1. shy away from - avoid having to deal with some unpleasant task; "I shy away from this task" avoid - stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something; "Her former friends now avoid her" large promises: Throughout, master-level coaches Robert Hargrove and Michel Renaud engage the reader in a "coaching conversation" about your most important goals, pivotal decisions, bothersome issues, and dilemmas. Your Coach (In A Book) simulates the experience of working with a personal coach. Drawing on thousands of hours of coaching conversations, it gives you the insights you need to set inspirational goals, master the corporate chessboard, and create new openings for action where you are stuck or ineffective. So did the book live up to the promises? In a word, no, not for me. There is a lot of hoopla hoop·la n. Informal 1. a. Boisterous, jovial commotion or excitement. b. Extravagant publicity: The new sedan was introduced to the public with much hoopla. 2. and cheerleading The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. . In the Preface pref·ace n. 1. a. A preliminary statement or essay introducing a book that explains its scope, intention, or background and is usually written by the author. b. An introductory section, as of a speech. 2. , the authors proclaim pro·claim tr.v. pro·claimed, pro·claim·ing, pro·claims 1. To announce officially and publicly; declare. See Synonyms at announce. 2. , "We aim to change the world with this Leadership Manifesto MANIFESTO. A solemn declaration, by the constituted authorities of a nation, which contains the reasons for its public acts towards another. 2. On the declaration of war, a manifesto is usually issued in which the nation declaring the war, states the reasons : Better Leaders, Better World." I don't think this book will change the world. The word "extraordinary" litters the pages of this book, with no relief synonyms such as "amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. ," "exceptional," or "remarkable." A phrase the authors use repeatedly soon landed on my personal hit list: "Set stretched goals." The research is old. Research is cited that shows the vast majority of CEOs spend less than 10% of their time on leadership. It seems to me I saw that point made when Tom Peters was the reigning guru guru (g  `r, g r` of the day.
Surely, the numbers have changed in the last 20 to 30 years.
Some of the points made are unfortunate. In the chapter Become a Master Politician: The Art of Politics for Non-Politicians, one the seven keys suggests we need to realize that style trumps trump 1 n. 1. Games a. A suit in card games that outranks all other suits for the duration of a hand. Often used in the plural. b. A card of such a suit. c. A trump card. 2. substance. Personally, I think we have too much style and not enough substance. The reviewer re·view·er n. One who reviews, especially one who writes critical reviews, as for a newspaper or magazine. reviewer Noun a person who writes reviews of books, films, etc. Noun 1. for Publisher's Weekly said that underneath the rah-rah rhetoric, you'll find some valuable advice. I couldn't find it. The book does have some thought-provoking quotations and questions at the end of each chapter. Overall, though, I think the authors wrote the book as a marketing tool for consulting gigs; the rest of us can just buy the book. Recommendation Reviewing books is personal. Some readers may like Your Coach (in a Book), but it wasn't for me. There was very little in it that I found helpful. Your Coach Robert Hargrove, M ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Best Price $9.12 or Buy New $24.95 Buy from amazon.com Privacy Information Review by Mireille Massue Product Ratings Your Coach (in a Book) Holds user interest * Value of Content * Self-Study Value * Instructional Value * Value for the money * Overall rating * |
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